In-flight entertainment (IFE) systems are deployed onboard aircraft to provide entertainment services for passengers in a passenger cabin. The IFE systems typically provide passengers with television and audio multimedia entertainment programming.
One type of IFE system is a “server centric” architecture where multimedia content is located on a server or a set of servers installed in an electronic bay somewhere in the airplane. Video content is played through displays installed at overhead locations or within seatbacks, and associated audio content is played through jacks provided in seat armrests.
Another type of IFE system is a “seat centric” architecture where content is stored in mass data storage devices located at individual seats and played through associated seat displays. The server (or set of servers) acts as an injection point for content that will be later installed locally into the seat mass data storage devices, and also acts as a secondary source for content that may not fit in the seat mass data storage devices.
Cabin crew (e.g., flight attendants) can operate control terminals to control the IFE entertainment system. The control terminals can include computer monitors and optional peripherals installed at spaced apart locations within the cabin that are accessible to the cabin crew during flight operations.
There has also been an emergence of wireless systems providing connectivity to passenger personal electronic devices (PEDs), such as Internet access, as well as limited streaming entertainment, such as movies. These systems typically require less installation effort and are limited to using servers installed in electronic bays somewhere in the airplane that stream content and communication control commands through wireless access points installed at spaced apart locations in overhead compartments of the airplane.
IFE installations can use substantial aircraft resources, such as equipment bay space, electrical power, weight, and cost. Each of the seat devices of an IFE system are typically networked through lengthy, heavy, and costly data network cabling to one or more servers to communicate commands and receive content.
Because of these components and network cabling, each IFE system is customized to each particular aircraft seat layout, referred to as a Layout of Passenger Accommodations (LOPA). Differences in architectures and layouts of IFE systems between aircraft necessitates separate and independent setup configuration and testing by IFE vendors and customers.